Consumers may have a plurality of payment cards that they may use to complete payment for goods and/or services at a point-of-sale terminal. For example, a consumer may choose from a debit card, a first credit card, or a second credit card to use for completing a transaction payment. The selection of one payment method versus other alternative payment methods may be based on incentives provided by institutions sponsoring and/or managing the subject payment methods. The selection of one payment method versus other alternative payment methods may likewise be influenced by the consumer's knowledge of their account balances and other individualized considerations. The point-of-sale terminal may receive some indication from the consumer—by swiping a magnetic strip of a credit card, by near field communication between an electronic device belonging to the consumer and the point-of-sale terminal—identifying the subject payment vehicle. The point-of-sale terminal may take steps electronically to authenticate and complete the payment transaction with a sponsoring institution, for example presenting account number and/or additional authorization tokens as well as transaction related information to the issuer of the first credit card.
Keeping up with what payment method should be used may be complicated for an individual. For example, credit cards may be shared by a husband and wife, and only one spouse may be aware that the balance of a debit card account is very low and that a credit card should be used for purchasing. Alternatively, only one spouse may be aware of a special discount available for using one credit card for payment versus another credit card at a specific retail store. The one spouse may inform the other spouse, but because such check-out transactions are so common, the uncustomary payment completion may be forgotten when engaged in conversational banter with a checkout clerk.